How do you polish your handles?

L

Leon Husock

Joined
Jul 17, 2019
Messages
319
Hand sanding? Buffing? Some combination of the two? I keep looking to incorporate more buffing into my handle polishing to reduce the work a bit and make it easier to avoid rounding over edges I'd like to keep crisp, but I'm never sure what compounds to use and when to switch from hand sanding to buffing, so I thought I'd pick everyone's brains and see how you guys do it.
 
This is by no means the best way but I have a buffer on a grinder. I'll use a little metal polish and it shines them up great. Just have to be careful with certain woods as they get contaminated. I know a lot of guy use white compound. I just haven't got around to trying it. I know there's better way than what I do
 
I used to use a buffer. The switch on my buffer broke About a year ago. I haven’t buffed anything since

I make user kitchen knives. I haven’t seen the need to go past 400-800 grit
 
If you want to buff G10 and Micarta to a nice gloss, sand to 1000-1500 grit (get ALL the prior grit scratches out) and then buff with appropriate compound (s). I use only german Menzerna (they have very clear programs on different materials and with what steps to take and what grit to sand to before buffing etc and the compunds work great). Their GW16 is a great allround for gloss on the above and also wood. If you want even glossier go to P175. Loosefold mops are good since they don't build up so much heat. Buffing also comes in handy for kydex sheath edges. And with a rock hard felt wheel and som green compound you have a great thing for "stropping" edges, variable speed is good for that though.
 
I’ve just been going to 600 grit on the belt grinder. Then waxing and buffing by hand. I’ve been considering buying a bench grinder with several different buffing wheels and compounds.
 
I hand sand most wood to 1200 grit and then use Danish oil on most. Danish oil darkens some wood too much in my experience. Like Ringed Gidgee and Walnut.
I only buff dense, closed grain wood like AZ desert ironwood. I use pink scratch-less compound.
I have found that keeping buffing wheels free of contaminates a big challenge. Those contaminates get into pores and muddy the finish on some materials.
 
HSC /// said:
I used to use a buffer. The switch on my buffer broke About a year ago. I haven’t buffed anything since

I make user kitchen knives. I haven’t seen the need to go past 400-800 grit
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I also mostly make kitchen knives, but I've always figured since they're designed to be used with a pinch grip I can polish the handle to as high a polish as I can get it since it doesn't much matter if it's a little slippery. That way I can really bring out the detail in the wood.
 
Most of the time I belt sand to 400, hand sand to 800, and buff with white or pink.
 
Hmmmm....I may be doing more work than I need. I wet sand through 2000 grit and then use a couple coats of Tru-oil. It may be worth my while to get a buffer. I guess I read all the threads about how dangerous buffers can be.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Most of the time I belt sand to 400, hand sand to 800, and buff with white or pink.
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Stacy - I am a buffing neophyte .. so apologies for this question. In searching, I see mostly references to red compound, and only a very, very few references to “pink”. Is there a difference ... or are they one and the same?
 
Get the Menzerna stuff and follow their programs. You cant fail. Even if you have to import it, a bar will last you a litetime. The Polishing Shop in the UK have ready made kits for the different surfaces and carry everything you need at great prices.
 
Cushing H. said:
Stacy - I am a buffing neophyte .. so apologies for this question. In searching, I see mostly references to red compound, and only a very, very few references to “pink”. Is there a difference ... or are they one and the same?
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Jantz’ catalog page is very informative on the different compounds and their uses. After years I’ve settled on a fast cut, medium cut, green scratch remover, pink scratchless and green chrome. They all have different jobs though.
 
You can get felt belts for your grinder that buff pretty well. I also sometimes use a wore out extra fine scotchbrite with compound when I'm polishing Micarta and it tends to cut the stray fibers and give a pretty clean look. Getting a buffer would be nice but the belts help to fill in the gaps in my tools.
 
For steel blades, there are many buffing compounds, but most flks use green chrome. For handles, you don't want to stain the wood, so match;ess pink and matchless white (AKA pink and white) are what most folks use. Use only a little and use a wheel that NEVER polished metal. I use a unstitched linen or cotton wheel most of the time for wood and ivory, and muslin for Micarta and G-10.
 
The main point is to not use the buff you use for blades and bolsters.

As far as pins and the tang, avoid them as much as possible ands try to buff toward them not away from them. If the wheel gets blackened by them, give it a clean up with a buff rake.
 
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